11/15
Kristina García
News Officer
klg@upenn.edu
First Generation Students
Candy Alfaro Welcomes First-Generation, Low-Income Students
Candy Alfaro Welcomes First-Generation, Low-Income Students
Growing up in the small town of Soledad, Calif., college seemed like a far-off idea for Candy Alfaro. Now a junior, she credits her parents, Mexican-born farm workers, for her determination to be the first in her family to go to college.
Penn student Dave Joseph succeeds with drive, determination and the support of others
If Dave Joseph becomes prime minister of his native Jamaica one day, he will have achieved a long-time goal despite experiencing tragedy there. He says the island is a vital part of who he is and that it drives him to succeed.
Penn Sophomore Is Finding a Voice Within the FGLI Community
As a freshman identifying as a first-generation, low-income student, Sebastián González searched for a space at the University of Pennsylvania where he felt at home. After seeing a Facebook post advertising the Penn First Summit, a town hall for FGLI students on campus last year, his world changed.
First-generation Alumna Strengthens ‘Penn First,’ Seeks Volunteer Mentors
Looking back at her undergraduate days, University of Pennsylvania alumna Leanne Pyott Huebner, who represents the first generation in her family to attend college, remembers feeling “differently prepared” than her peers.
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In the News
Philadelphia Inquirer
Colleges should shoulder the burden of SCOTUS admissions ruling, not students, say Philly college advisers
A new free course at Penn, Applying to College 101, will guide students through the college admissions process in the wake of the Supreme Court’s affirmative action ruling, with remarks from Dean of Admissions Whitney Soule.
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Philadelphia Inquirer
Penn alum gives $18 million to support first-generation college students
Wharton alumnus Scott Shleifer and his wife, Elena Shleifer, have given Penn $18 million to support first-generation and “modest” or “limited-income” students. “This gift will enable our university to foster an ever more welcoming and inclusive learning environment to prepare all Penn students for successful lives,” said President Amy Gutmann.
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Philadelphia Inquirer
Penn student who aged out of foster care wins prestigious Rhodes Scholarship
May graduate Mackenzie Fierceton has been named a Rhodes Scholar, which will allow her to study at Oxford University in England.
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The Washington Post
Bloomberg gift to Hopkins to help middle-income families as well as the poor
Vice President of Finance and Treasurer MaryFrances McCourt spoke about Penn’s endowment for undergraduate financial aid and its support for low-income students.
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CBS News
Bay Area 1st generation college student’s background helping him excel
School of Arts and Sciences senior Victor Arellano was profiled for his summer interning with Motive Power, a San Francisco management consulting firm.
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Diverse: Issues in Higher Education
UPenn provides support services for first-generation and low-income students
Admissions Dean Eric J. Furda and Valarie Swain-Cade McCoullum, vice provost for university life, discussed Penn’s support system for first-generation and low-income students.
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